Watt responds to claims that he is bullying Asot Michael In Parliament

13

21″ February, 2022

The Editor
Antiguanewsroom.com

Dear Editor,

RESPONDS TO MP ASOT MICHAEL

Permit me to respond to a letter appearing on your news site under the title, “Speaker invokes rarely used standing order against MP Asot Michael”. The letter is clearly written by one of MP Michael’s paid minions, on his behalf.

In any event, the writer is not only a liar, but shows himself or herself, to be ignorant of the Standing Orders of the House and of Parliamentary Procedure. The letter also levels accusations against the Speaker of using the Speaker’s Chair to spread hate and wage his personal vendettas” without offering any evidence to support this blatant lie.

My reason for responding is to nail the writer’s lies, and inform right-thinking members of the public as to the truth and facts. In so doing I will resist the temptation to respond to those faceless, nameless
Facebook fools, who commented on the letter, as I have no inclination to engage with persons of questionable intellect.

The facts are as follows. For several DEBATES (my emphasis as it is a DEBATE, not a speech reading session), I have observed that a small minority of the Members have taken to reading their
presentations both during the Budget Debate, and when debating Bills. Standing Order 39 (10) of theStanding Orders strictly forbids the reading of speeches. Indeed, the Standing Order uses the word, “shall not”, which indicates that the Standing Order is mandatory.

On the second day of the Budget Debate, the Member for St. John’s Rural North, was seen to read his
entire speech. I did not interrupt him because up to that moment I had not enforced the rule and it
would have been unfair to do so without a warning to the member. At the end of the Honourable
Member’s presentation, I informed the House that it was my intention to begin to enforce Standing
Order 39 (10), against the reading of speeches. It is to be noted that MP Michael was present when this
statement was made. While I have never prevented the member from reading his speech, I have always
been irked at the practice. Mr. Michael, as a member of the House for several terms, ought to know that
he was in violation of the Standing Order. I am also reliably informed that former Speaker D. Gisele
Isaac, asked him to refrain from doing so on more than one occasion.
The writer, in support of his/her dishonest opinion, goes on to state that “a few days ago he saw the
Lands Minister Maria Browne reading her speech”. This is a barefaced lie as the Member for Rural East
debated the bill and only referred to facts and figures to support her presentation. This is absolutely
permissible under the Standing Order.
He claims that “Foreign Affairs Minister Chet Greene read a substantial part of his debate”.

In fact, The Member for St. Paul always seeks permission to read certain parts of his presentation, which includes much information and data, which is too much to keep in his head. Before and after that he debates the
Bill

The writer then makes the most idiotic and astounding statement, “that the three-hour budget
statement itself was read from a teleprompter. Not a word from Speaker Watt”. It is unbelievable that
this writer does not understand that the Throne Speech and the Budget Speech, are read by the Governor General and the Minister of Finance, respectively; THEN debated. Any school child knows that this statement is embarrassingly dumb, it is therefore no wonder that the writer is unwilling to identify himself/herself.

As to the writer’s accusations of hassling and bullying MP Michael, and “acting out of a personal dislike for the duly elected member of the House” (and which sounds suspiciously as coming from MP Michael, in his usual whining and playing the victim role), liking or disliking MP Michael has nothing to do with my duties as Speaker. The writer is at liberty to like, love, fawn over and brown-nose to his/her heart’s
content.

My duty is to ensure that he familiarizes himself with the Standing Orders, follows them and conform to rulings by the Speaker. If the writer is angling for an invitation to sip Grey Goose at Side Hill, am not.

For the writer’s information, my performance as Speaker is to be judged by the members of the House,
who elected me as Speaker. If the House was not satisfied with my performance, I would not have been
elected for a second term. I am also heartened by the scores of persons who either call, message nor meet me, and offer congratulations on my performance in the Chair.

I am grateful for the support of the public and I will continue to serve my country as I have done for the greater part of my life.

Sir Gerald Watt KCN Qc

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

 

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13 COMMENTS

    • Give me a aspirin better yet give it to him that old fart still should go
      He should be on the veranda when i drive by and some things are not for life.
      It’s really that simple some people time has just come and gone.

  1. Mr. Watts you shouldn’t even bother to respond. The reactions depend on which side of the divide persons are on. I don’t find you to be any worse than Gisele Isaac… lest some of us conveniently forget.

  2. Bravo Mr. Speaker!!! Too many times you have plenty hypocrites spouting and writing ignorance and nonsense about other’s. The idea that you shouldn’t silent these idiotic commentators hiding behind their baboonery and deceptions is ridiculously insane. Just like you I can’t stand sanctimonious hypocrites.

  3. It must be a very slow day at your Law Firm,no Government Cases.You found the time to respond to a letter writer from last week.
    Sometimes inside the Parliament sounded as if it is the Market. By the way Speaker of the House. It is not a DEBATE IN THE PARLIAMENT. How many of those MP’S debate the Bills and or Budget presented? Treat all Members of Parliament with the same respects,for they are all equal. There is no Prime Minister in the Parliament.They should all be referred too as Members of their Constituencies.

  4. Your such a dinosaur you forgot to proofread your letter. So tell the general public if the reading of speeches is forbidden. Why in your opinion is it your discretion to grant such practice?

    Go back and look at the footage and tell the general public The Member for St.John’s Rural North was not reading from a prepared speech.

    Go back and look at the footage or read the minutes that recorded The Member for St. Phillips South accusing The Member for St. Peter for conduct unbecoming.

    Watt your light bulb lacking luminescent. Your a relic. A has been. You were voted in by the majority government. You puffing out your chest for that! At one time you were so blue that if you shed a tear. The water coming out of your eyes would be turquoise.

    Time longer than rope and so are hypocrites!!!

  5. Thanks Mr. Watts none of them idiots can walk in your shoes. All they good for is spout pure nonsense and ignorance. Typically of these idiots to cuss out people who disagree with their foolishness. You’ll are nothing but empty drums trying for relevances. The idea that you all can stoop to the shit house to wish the learned gentleman the worst in his life, he was an opposition MP. That’s why so many of the UPPITES are running away from you filthy people. All you lacks decency, class and integrity. Most of you fools are sitting on your brains.

    • Thanks Mr What for showing us how once intelligent people fall prey to the money. I only have the time to say you’re absolutely a damn liar. I wonder if the country check the house of falsemen operates under you. I don’t keep up but looking at the chaos from a few days ago when Pringle had the floor was quite a scene. Sometimes I forget how many opposition ministers in that house with the raucous rambunctious behavior. I never knew the cool aid was so potent like your poison is not to kill you but to kill something that you once had. I won’t mention it that would make it easy

  6. Thank you Mr. Speaker. You are a fair minded man who speaks with dignity. Old man Asot comes across as a trouble-maker. His career in Parliament is over. He seems to be seeking attention. It’s sad to witness it.

  7. Gerald Watt,why are you putting yourself through all of that stress.In that picture above you are looking so miserable and tired. Why?

  8. Am not one to leave a comment but if you let a speaker read which is on all to get familiar with the rules you just set a precedent for others to follow you should of warn the speaker not warn who follows next in my humble opinion

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